Vacuum cleaner



K 1,624,969 Aprnl 19 1927- F. J. oslus VACUUM CLEANER Filed Sept, 29, 1922 tion;

Patented Apr.l 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES l 1,624,969 PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. OSIUS, OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, A..SSIGNOR TO HAMILTON-BEACH MFG. CO., lO1? RACINE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION WISCONSIN.

VACUUM CLEANER. l

Application led'September 29, 1922. Serial No. 591,310. v

This invention relates to cleaners and particularly cleaners of the soecalled vacuum type.

owever well made such cleaners are' it becomes necessary at times to obtain access to various parts ifor cleaning, repairs and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide -a simple and effective cleaner and one that is constructed so as to render servicing as easy and simple as possible.

ith these general objects in view the invention consists in the combinations, details of construction and arrangements of parts Which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings land then more particularly pointed out.

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a cleaner constructed in accordance with the inven- Fig. 2 is a sectional View (enlarged) taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the rearward portion of F ig. 1 showing the handle partly 1n section and partly in outline;

Fig. 4 is an end view of part of the nozzle; and y A Fig. 5 is a plan vview from below of part of the nozzle.

Referring to the drawing, there is pro.-

vided a cleaner body, comprising motor cas-A ing, fan casing and n0zzle,which encloses al motor shaft, fan, and brush-drive shaft arranged in a straight horizontal line. As

' 'here illustrated, 11 indicates a motor casing having a rear cap 12 and a front plate 13. In this casing is a motor, indicated generally by 14,' having a horizontally arranged shaft 15. n

There is provided a fan removably conf nected with motor shaft 15, its axis being in alinement therewith, and a fan casing removably mounted on the motor casing,

and in structures embodying the invention to the best advantage, the fan casing is removablyl independently of the fan. Although capable of various constructions, in the embodiment illustrated, the forward end of shaft 15, which extends through the front of the motor casing, is reduced and threaded as at 16. Mounted on this shaft is a fan 17 the blades of which are 'formed lfan.

in any suitable manner. As shown, the blades terminate in a rear plate 18 from which extends a hub 19 threaded on the interior to screw onto the threaded end of shaft 15. The bore of hub 19 has a shoulder 20, which engages the shoulder formed by llzjhe reduced part of shaft 15, as appears in Flush with front plate 13 of the motor casing is an outwardly extending flange 21 to which is secured, by screws 26 or the like, the rim 22 of an open-ended fan casing 23. This fan casing is of the well-known snail construction and has a front opening 24 opposite the fan and a side discharge elbow 25. As here. shown, `the inner diameter of rim 22 is greater lthan the diameter of the Consequently, the fan casing may be removed independentlyy of the fan, by loosening screws 26.

Detachably connected to the front of the fan casing and extending downwardly to terminate in a transverse suction mouth adjacent the surface to be cleaned is a nozzle 27. As here shown, the nozzle 27 has a rear opening 28 corresponding to front opening 24 of the fan casing and a suction mouth 29 which extends transversely of the direction of movement of' the cleaner.J While the nozzle may be'attached to the fan casing 4in any suitable manner, in the embodiment shown, secured in the front face of the fan casing and extending outwardly therefrom are threaded pins 30. `The nozzle 27 has a flange 31 which engagesl the front face of the fan casing and which is formedtures 32, as appears in Fig. 2. The width of grooves 35 is suflicient to permit enough outward movement of the nuts 33 to separate the threadedportions vfrom the threads of pins 30, but the nuts cannot come off entirely because of the engagement of the springs with the rear end of the grooves( When the nuts 33 have been unscrewed from the pins the nozzle may be removed from the fan casing. The construction described makes possible an .easy detachment and reassembly of the nozzle without the danger of losing the attaching devices. This is particularly desirable as it renders detachment and reassembly easy for the average housewife who may wish to remove the nozzle in order to assemble a hose coupling with the fan casing.

From the above description, vit will be apparent that the motor casing, fan casing andnozzle form a cleaner body horizontally arranged. To mount this body for running over the surface to be cleaned, front and rear wheels are provided. While the wheels may be arranged in any suitable manner, as here shown as an example, two front wheels 37 are journalled in lugs 38 carried bythe fan casing. Two rear wheels 39 are journaled on a bracket 40 which is swivelled on a pin 41 and held toward the motor casing by a spring 42.

The invention in its entirety includes a rotary brush in the nozzle and means, in-

i cluding a drive shaft in alinement with the motor shaft, for rotating the brush. As here shown, as an example,parallel with the nozzle mouth 29 is a brush spindle 43 having suitably disposed brush bristles 44. The brush spindle is journaled in the nozzle in any suitable manner and is located to have the bristles 44 extend slightly through the mouth of the nozzle, which, as

' appears in Fig. 1 is maintained a slight distance above the surface to be cleaned.

The brush spindle has a pulley 45 connected by an elastic belt 46 of rubber or the like with a crown pulley 47 formed on a brush-drive shaft 48. This shaft has a threaded end which is screwed into the hub 19 of the fan and is alined with the motor shaft so as to be driven thereby. A shell 49 is screwed into the fan hub to coverthe shaft 48 and prevent threads and lint from whipping about the shaft and clogging the parts. a button 50 against which the belt runs, thereby preventing clogging at that point. In the front of the nozzle is an opening 51 covered ,by a removable cap 52 whereby access may be had to the interior of the nozzle to remove thebelt when desired.

As appears in Fig. 1, the brush pulley 43 is somewhat offset from the shaft pulley 47.

lVith this construction, if the belt is twisted 1n the wrong way in the assembly', that is, so as to tend to rotate the brush in the wrong direction, the belt comes off, thus serving as an indication to the user of the improper assembly.

There is provided in the embodiment here illustrated, means for preventing the carpet, rug or other surface to be cleaned, from Inaking sealing contact with the mouth of the On the forward end of shaft 48 is ijeeeoee nozzle. As here shown as an example, ex-

tending across the nozzle mouth is a wire grid 95. At the rear, the grid is pivoted to lugs 96 on the nozzle. At the front, a front bar 97 ts over a shoulder 98 on the nozzle, the cross bars of the grid being curved as shown.' If desired, the grid can be swung back ou its pivot by prying the bar 97 away from shoulder 98. Cooperating with the grid are spacing studs 99 secured to the end lips of the nozzle mouth.

Withthe construction described the grid and studshold the carpet, rug or the like away from the lips of the nozzle mouth and prevent a sealing Contact.

Any suitable dust receptacle may be used. The drawing indicates the lower end of a bag 54 having a collar 55 for detachably connecting the bag with the discharge el- 'bow 25. As shown, the Acollar 55 has a bayonet slot 57 for locking the collar to a pin 56 on the elbow 25.

There is provided a pivotally mounted handle for operating the cleaner. In the exemplification illustrated, a handle terminates in a spring yoke 66. The ends of the yoke have holes which take over pivot pins 67 carried by the motor casing. When the yoke is in place it is held on the pins by the inherent spring of the metal. Itl

can, however, be readily removed by spring ing the yoke outwardly to slip the ends off the pins 67.

There is provided, in connection with the yoked handle, a spring catch for retaining the handle in an upright, inactive position. Although capable of various constructions, in that here illustrated, a spring catch 68 has one endrsecured to the motor casing 11. This catch has a cam portion 69 up which the yoke rides and beyond the cam portion is a generally up and down groove 70. Beyond the groove the spring catch element has an abutment 71 and the end of the catch element is bent outwardly and secured to the flange 21 of the motor casing.

In normal use of the cleaner, -the handle has approximately the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. When it is desired to place the handle in active position, it is swung upwardly to the full line position of Fig. 1. In this upward swing the yoke rides up the cam portion 69 and seats in the groove 70 against the abutment 71. There is no necessity for any careful positioning of the handle to place it in this retained position. In fact, an upward push is sufiicient, the abutment 71, solidly backed by the flange 21, serving as a solid stop vfor the forward swing ofthe handle. As shown in Fig. 1, when in inactive position, the handle inclines slightl forward of the vertical. This incline andY the spring portion of the catch serve to hold the handle in the position shown. A slight pressure on the handle is sutiicient to move it out of the groove and back to operating position.

If it is desired to remove the handle from the body of the cleaner, it is only necessary to spring. the yoke of the pivot pins 67. One of these pins is located below the groove 70, and this groove is an aid in guiding the yoke when the handle is reassembled.

In connect-ion with the handle there is provided a stop member which can be used to tilt the forward end of the cleaner and can be moved to an inoperative position. As here shown as an example, pivoted to the handle is a stop strip 73 having a curved end (Fig. 1) adapted to bear on the top of end cap 12 of the motor casing when the stop strip is substantially parallel with the handle. When the stop strip is in this position (Fig. 1), a slight downward pressure on the handle causes the front end of the cleaner to be tipped upwardly, thus aiding in the movement of the cleaner over door sills and the like. If, however, it is desired to use the cleaner with the handle lowered, as in cleaning under furniture, the stop strip may be swung to one side, consequently becom- 1ng inoperative.

Referring to the driving mechanism, in the embodiment here shown, the motor shaft 15 has its ends journaled in self-alining bearings 80. Associated with each bearing is a self-oiler in 'the form of a length of cotton or `wool yarn 81, wound around the bearing with. a plurality of turns, the end being threaded through the bearing as appears in Fig. 2. Oil being supplied to the turns of yarn, the self-oiler is substantially permanent.

At the forward end, the motor shaft 15 extends through a removable cap or plug 82 inserted in an opening in the front plate 13 of the motor casing. pears in Fig. 2, has a skirt portion which makes a fairly tight lit with the front plate 13. As an additional protection to the bearing against dust, however, between the cap 82 and the bearing, there is provided a felt washer 83.

There is provided means whereby the armature brushes are readily removable from the outside of the motor casing. Although capable of various constructions, in the present embodiment, the commutator 84 is located at the rear end of the motor. Coop- This cap 82, as apl than thefan,

erating therewith are brushes 85 slidably mounted in brackets 86. In alinement with each brush 85, is a plug 87 of libre or other insulating material, set in a suitable open.- ing in the rear cap 12 kof the motor casing. Each plug 87 has in its inner face a recess 88 for receiving a brush pigtail 89 and a feed wire 90. These two wires are clamped together in electrical contact and secured to the plug in the recess by a set screw 91 carried by the plug. The plug is removably secured in place in the casing by a set screw 92. W'hen it is desired to remove an armature brush for inspection, repairs or substitution, the plug 87 is removed, drawing with it the brush 85. Upon removal of the plug, loosening of screw 91 permits separation of thev brush and its pigtail from the other parts. For reassembly, the feed wire and brush pigtail are clamped together in the recess of the plug and brush and plug are reinserted in place. Current is supplied to the motor by a cable 93 which has a suitable connecting element (not shown) for connection with a source.

The operation of the cleaner will be clear from the above without further description. It is noted, that the cleaner described greatly facilitates servicing because of the ease with which. parts are removed and reassembled. Furthermore, as to the parts of the cleaner body, the brush-drive shaft, the fan, and the cap 82, all the parts are in a straight line and horizontal relation. This relation aids materially in the ease of servicing.

What is claimed is:

In a cleaner, and in combination, a motor casing, a horizontally arranged motor therein having a threaded shaft extending beyond the casing, a fan having a hub threaded on the interior for mounting the fan on said shaft extension, a fan' casing detachably mounted on the motor casing and having an opening in its rear face greater in diameter whereby the fan casing may be removed independently of the fan, a nozzle extending downwardly from the front of the fan casing, a rotary brush in the nozzle, a brush-drive shaft threaded into the hub of the fan, and a detachable belt for driving the brush from said drive shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERICK J. OSIUS.

till 

